Lotus - A trusted name in family travel

Services

Restaurants in China

While
buffets are coming more popular in big cities, most restaurants still serve
food “family style.” That means you are not given an individual
plate of food, but rather the dishes are placed in the center of the table---
often on a revolving tray called a lazy Susan in English—so that everyone
can try a little of each dish.

Fresh fish is a wonderful treat in China. And if you are in China or are being
treated by Chinese friends, fish is usually an essential dish. The fish is served
whole, head still attached. You can ask your waiter or waitress to “please
divide the dish for us” and he or she will cut into equal portions but
still bring the head back on a separate platter and put it on the table. If
the head faces you, this traditionally means you are considered the guest of
honor. You don’t have to eat the head; it’s just the restaurant’s
way of showing you that it is fresh. Also, don’t be surprised if the waiter
or waitress comes to you and actually brings out a plastic box containing the
live fish for you to look for you to examine before it is cooked. This may be
alarming to some people but it’s a good way to tell if your fish is indeed
fresh. It should flop around heartily once the lid of the box is opened. If
not, feel free to order a different fish and tell the server you want one that’s
fresher. You can also ask the waiter to recommend which fish is freshest that
evening.

One big difference between Western and Chinese restaurants is that it is perfectly
acceptable in China to make special request. While a Western chef might
be offended that you dare question his or her recipes, Chinese chefs are proud
of their ability to make just about any dish requested. You can ask for
dishes that are not on the menu or for certain cooking styles or f or certain
ingredients to be put in or left out. For example, if you are allergic
to MSG, tell your waiter or waitress to ask the cook to leave it out. The only
time special requests are denied is if the ingredients are not available. Because
Chinese chefs make everything on the spot rather than in advance, this kind of
personal service is possible.

Source: “Everything You Need to Know to Understand China A to Z”,
by May-lee Chai and Winberg Chai